Basilicas in Southern and Eastern Africa

I blogged about the following basilica on June 12, 2019.

• Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Family, Nairobi, Kenya

I blogged about the following basilica on December 9, 2021.

• Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Bulawayo, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Lodonga, Yumbe, Northern, Uganda

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John XXIII in 1961.

The church was built by Comboni Missionary priests in the 1950s.  It was damaged by civil strife in 1979 but has been repaired.

From a local source.

Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Kabgayi, Sud, Rwanda

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1992.

The church is the Cathedral for the Diocese of Kabgayi.  The church was built by the Society of African Missionaries and was completed in 1923.  There is a memorial to the victims of the Rwandan Genocide near the church.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of the Uganda Martyrs, Namugongo, Kampala, Central, Uganda

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1993.

The Basilica was built between 1965 and 1968 near the location where St. Charles Lwanga and St. Kizito were burned to death in 1886 by orders of the local ruler.  Between 1885 and 1887, 22 Catholic and 23 Anglican converts to Christianity were martyred for their Faith.

From Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Mary, Lubumbashi, Katanta, Congo-Kinshasa

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 2000.

The Basilica is a modern church built in 1951.

Basilica of Mary, Queen of the Apostles, Yaounde, Centre, Cameroon

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006.

Missionaries of the Holy Spirit from Germany came here in 1901 to evangelize.  A church was built but it had fallen into disrepair by 1990.  The local bishop built the existing church on the same site and it was completed in 2006.  The building is made of stone, metal, and wood, and can seat nearly 4,000.

Both pictures are from Wikipedia.

Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Mongomo, Wele-Nzas, Region Continental, Equatorial Guinea

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in 2011.

The church is the Cathedral for the Diocese of Mongomo.  Built between 2006 and 2011, it was funded by the national government and built by an Italian company.  The Basilica can hold 1,000.  It is said to be the largest religious building in central Africa and the second largest Catholic church in all of Africa.

Pictures are from a local source, TripAdvisor, and Wikipedia.

Basilica Shrine of the Ugandan Martyrs, Munyonyo, Kampala, Central, Uganda

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Francis in 2019.

The church was built between 2015 and 2016 on the site of the executions of several of the Ugandan martyrs in 1886.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica Shrine of the Precious Blood of Our Lord, Bata, Litoral, Region Continental, Equatorial Guinea

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Francis in 2020.

Basilicas in Italy—Eastern Sicily

I blogged about the following basilicas on November 6, 2019.

• Basilica Cathedral of St. Agatha, Catania, Catania.

Basilica of St. James the Apostle, Caltagirone, Catania

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius VII in 1816.

The church was originally built following a 1090 victory of the Sicilians over the Saracens.  The church received major damage during a 1693 earthquake and by bombs in 1943 but has been restored.  The church has a major relic of St. James the Greater.

The first picture is from the Diocesan website and the second is from a local source.

Cathedral Basilica of St. Julian, Caltagirone, Catania

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XV in 1920.

The church is the Cathedral for the Diocese of Caltagirone.  The church was completed in 1282 in a Norman style but has been damaged by earthquakes and restored at least twice since then.  So Norman and Art Nouveau influences can also be seen today.

The first picture is from a local source and the second is from Wikipedia.

Basilica of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, Acireale, Catania

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XI in 1933.

The Basilica is located across the square from the Cathedral Basilica of the Annunciation, discussed below.  This church was built in the 17th Century.  It was heavily damaged by a 1693 earthquake and was restored in a neoclassical style.  The white Syracuse stone façade and the bell tower were built in the 1700s.

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of Our Lady of Alms, Catania, Catania

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1946.

The church was originally a royal chapel for the Kings of Sicily.  This chapel was destroyed by an earthquake in 1693 and replaced by the current Baroque church in the 18th Century.

All picturew are from Wikipedia.

Cathedral Basilica of the Annunciation, Acireale, Catania

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1948. 

The basilica is the Cathedral for the Diocese of Acireale.  The church dates to the 16th Century but has been modified over the years especially after a 1693 earthquake.

Pictures are from Pinterest and Wikipedia.

Basilica of Our Lady of the Bridge, Caltagirone, Catania

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John XXIII in 1963.

From Flickr.

Basilica of St. Peter, Riposto, Catania

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI in 1967.

The Neoclassical Basilica was built between 1808 and was largely completed by 1818.  Final construction took until 1872. 

All pictures are from Wikipedia.

Basilica Sanctuary of Our Lady of Alms, Biancavilla, Catania

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Paul VI in 1970.

The Baroque church dates to the late 15th Century but has been enlarged and renovated almost every century since then.  A painting of Our Lady of Alms dates to the 14th Century.  It was painted on cedar from an artist of the Greek-Albanian art tradition.  Miracles have been attributed to Our Lady’s intercession.

Pictures are from Flickr, TripAdvisor, and Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. James and Most Holy Mary of Catena, Castiglione di Sicilia, Catania

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1985.

The church was constructed between 1655 and 1664 and contains a 16th Century marble sculpture of Our Lady of Catena.

Both pictures are from local sources.

Basilica Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Catania, Catania

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1987.

A church has been on this site since Roman times, but the current church was built in the early 1700s to replace a building destroyed by the 1693 earthquake.  Legend has it that St. Agatha (a Catania native) was originally buried at this location.

Pictures are from Flickr, a local source, and Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Sebastian, Martyr, Acireale, Catania

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1990.

The Baroque church was built between 1608 and 1658.  It was damaged by the 1693 earthquake but was but was repaired in the early 1700s.  A stone façade was added at that time.  Many of the frescoes were done by Pietro Paolo Vasta, a local 18th Century artist.

The top picture is from a local source and the other two are from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Catherine of Alexandria, Pedara, Catania

Declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1996.

The Sicilian Baroque church was built between 1695 and 1705.

The first two pictures are from Flickr, the third is from a local source, and the last is from Wikipedia.

Basilica of St. Philip, Aci San Filippo, Catania

Declared a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009.

The church was built between 1720 and 1822 to replace a church destroyed by the 1693 earthquake.  Work continued on the church up to 1987 when the bronze doors were installed.

From a local source.